Trench gate MOSFET and method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A Trench gate MOS field-effect transistor having a narrow, lightly doped, region extending from a channel accommodating region ( 3 ) of same conductivity type immediately adjacent the trench sidewall. The narrow region may be self-aligned to the top of a lower polysilicon shield region in the trench or may extend the complete depth of the trench. The narrow region advantageously relaxes the manufacturing tolerances, which otherwise require close alignment of the upper polysilicon trench gate to the body-drain junction.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to Trench Field Effect Transistors (FET) and inparticular to TrenchFETs which have a separate source region within thetrench isolated from the gate region within the trench.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

TrenchFETs are a class of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) deviceswherein the channel between the source and drain of the device runsvertically, under the control of a gate electrode. The gate electrode isaccommodated in a trench within the device and isolated from thesemiconductor layers typically by gate oxide lining the side-walls andbase of the trench.

Such devices typically have an n-type source region adjacent the surfaceof the device, beneath which lies a p-type body region (whichaccommodates the channel). Beneath the p-type body region is the n-typedrain region. A trench in the device, the side walls of which are linedwith gate oxide, provides access for the gate electrode to the bodyregion, in order to provide a channel within the body region. Inoperation, application of a potential to the gate electrode opens thechannel in the body region and allows electrical conduction between thesource and drain regions.

The design of all TrenchFETs incorporate an area of trench where thegate electrode is exposed to the drain. Where the gate electrode isexposed to the drain a gate/drain capacitor is formed. The magnitude ofthe gate/drain capacitance is dependent upon the area of the gateexposed. For fast switching devices it is beneficial to reduce thegate/drain capacitance as much as possible for the following reasons:firstly, to reduce the switching loss per cycle; secondly, to reduce thetotal gate charge, and thirdly to improve the gate's immunity bymaximising the reverse breakdown parameter (BVdso).

One method of reducing the gate/drain capacitance is the RESURF (REducedSURface Field) stepped oxide concept. A schematic representation of sucha device is shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 depicts part of a semiconductor device having source region 1 anddrain region 2 between which is a body region 3. Typically source region1 and drain region 2 are n-type semiconductor, and body region 3 isp-type semiconductor. The device is characterised by a trench, generallydepicted by 4, which extends from the top surface into the device,through the source region and body region and into the drain region. Thetrench is lined with oxide adjacent to the side walls 5 and 6 and thebottom 7. The upper part of the trench is filled with gate electrode 8.The gate electrode 8 typically comprises polysilicon material. Deeper inthe trench than the gate electrode 8, and electrically isolated from it,is a further region typically of polysilicon material, designated asshield electrode 9. As depicted in FIG. 1, the shield electrodegenerally lies further from the side walls of the trench, than does thegate electrode. The shield electrode, which is electrically isolatedfrom the gate electrode but typically connected to the source electrode,has the effect of shielding the gate electrode from the drain region.However, this is only effective if the distance between the body/drainjunction and the bottom of the gate electrode is small, as is apparentfrom FIG. 1. As the distance increases the level of shielding providedby the shield electrode reduces.

There is therefore an ongoing need for a TrenchFET which provides thebenefit of the RESURF stepped oxide concept, but does not suffer fromthe close tolerances involved in aligning the bottom of the gateelectrode with the body/drain junction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductordevice which provides the benefit of the RESURF stepped oxide conceptbut does not suffer from the tight tolerance requirements as outlinedabove. In accordance with the present invention there is provided atrench field effect transistor (TrenchFET) comprising a semiconductorbody defining a first major surface, a first and a second region of afirst conductivity type, a channel-accommodating third regiontherebetween of a second conductivity type opposite the firstconductivity type, a trench extending from the first major surface intothe semiconductor body, adjacent the first and channel-accommodatingthird regions and extending into the second region, a gate formed ofelectrically conducting material within the trench and spaced apart fromthe sidewalls and bottom of the trench, a shield region formed ofelectrically conducting material within the trench and between the gateand bottom of the trench and spaced apart therefrom, characterised inthat the TrenchFET further comprises a fourth region of the secondconductivity type adjacent the sidewalls of the trench and extendingfrom the channel-accommodating third region towards the bottom of thetrench. Beneficially, the device provides for relaxed manufacturingtolerances, particularly as regards the alignment of the bottom of thegate electrode with the body/drain junction.

Preferably, the fourth region has a doping level which is lower than thedoping level of the channel-accommodating third region; more preferablystill the fourth region has a width which is sufficiently small suchthat, in operation when the electrical potential of the gate creates achannel in the channel-accommodating third region, the fourth region isfully depleted. Thus the fourth region does not provide a significantdeleterious increase in the on-resistance. This advantage may berealised particularly effectively when the fourth region has a widthbetween 25 nm and 50 nm.

Preferably the fourth region extends further from the first majorsurface than does the gate, and more preferably still the fourth regionis aligned to a top of the shield region; alternatively, the fourthregion extends further from the first major surface than the shieldregion: these arrangements provide for particularly effective reductionin the gate-drain capacitance.

Preferably the first conductivity type is n-type and the secondconductivity type is p-type. This allows for the use of convenientdoping types during the manufacturing process.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided amethod of manufacturing a TrenchFET comprising the steps, notnecessarily in the following order, of defining in a semiconductor bodyhaving a first major surface a first and a second region of a firstconductivity type and a channel-accommodating third region of a secondconductivity type opposite the first conductivity type therebetween,defining a trench extending from the first major surface into thesemiconductor body, adjacent the first and channel-accommodating thirdregions and extending into the second region, forming a gate ofelectrically conducting material within the trench and spaced apart fromthe sidewalls and bottom of the trench, forming a shield region ofelectrically conducting material within the trench and between the gateand bottom of the trench and spaced apart therefrom, characterised inthat the method further comprises the step of defining a fourth regionof the second conductivity type adjacent the sidewalls of the trench andextending from the channel-accommodating third region towards the bottomof the trench.

Preferably the fourth region is defined by a low angle implant;alternatively, the fourth region may be defined by gaseous vapour phasedeposition. These processes allow for convenient and accurate definitionof the depth and doping of the fourth region.

Advantageously the step of defining the fourth region may includeself-alignment of the fourth region to the top of the shield; this maybe effected by carrying out the definition after the step of performingthe shield region. This provides a particularly simplified manufacturingprocess. Alternatively, the fourth region may be defined after the stepof defining the trench and before a step of defining a thick oxide layerin the bottom of the trench. This provides for a fourth region whichextends throughout the depth of the source electrode.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from, andelucidated with reference to, the embodiments described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section through part of a known TrenchFETdevice;

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b show part of the device of FIG. 1, according todifferent variations of manufacturing process;

FIG. 3 shows the same part of a TrenchFET according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 depicts a TrenchFET according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 shows the modelled response of a device according to the firstand the second embodiments of the present invention in comparison with asimilar standard device. The variation of specific on resistance withthe control of the gate/body depth is shown;

FIG. 6 shows a similar modelled response for a different gate sourcevoltage;

FIG. 7 shows the variation of drain-source voltage (at a specificdrain-source current) with control of the gate/body depth for the threedevices of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 shows a field distribution for a conventional device andaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows the field distribution for two devices according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows the gate bounce immunity for the three devices of FIG. 5,

FIG. 11 shows the variation of total gate charge for the three devicesof FIG. 5.

The Figures are partly schematic and are not drawn to scale. The samereference numerals are used throughout the figures to denote the same orsimilar parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

As described above FIG. 1 shows in schematic form part of a conventionalsplit poly TrenchFET. FIGS. 2 a and 2 b show in more detail the part ofthe TrenchFET of FIG. 1 depicted within outline 10. Correspondingnumerals show the corresponding features of the device as in FIG. 1.Thus the device has source 1 and drain 2 with body region 3therebetween. Extending into the device is a trench 4. The sidewalls ofthe trench generally adjacent source and body are lined with gate oxide5, and the lower part of the sidewalls and the base of the trench arelined with further oxide, which may be known as “thick oxide”, 6 and 7respectively. Polysilicon gate 8 is located generally towards the top ofthe trench, and shield 9 is located generally towards the bottom of thetrench. As shown in the left hand side part of the figure, the junction21 between body region 3 and drain 2 is closely aligned to the base 22of the gate polysilicon. Thus there is only a small region of gate 8which is proximate to the drain 2.

In comparison the right hand part of the figure depicts the same devicemanufactured to the same design, but with different etch depths and/orlayer thicknesses, which may still be within the manufacturingtolerances. In this case the device has a shallower shield region 9 andconsequently a deeper gate region 8. The corresponding body/drainboundary 21′ is thus further from the base 22′ of the gate 8.

In this embodiment the shield 9 is connected to a source electrode (notshown) and provides shielding for the gate from the drain region 2.However, this is only effective if the distance between the body/drainjunction 21 and the bottom of the gate electrode 22 is small; as thedistance increases the level of shielding the source electrode providesis reduced. If the body/drain junction 21′ becomes too distant from thebase of the gate electrode 22′, the effects include firstly, loss ofRESURF leading to a collapse in the breakdown voltage of the device, andsecondly, increased switching losses. Although in this embodiment theshield is connected to the source electrode, such a connection is notnecessary for putting the invention into practice.

Turning now to FIG. 3, this depicts a device according to a firstembodiment of the present invention. The device is generally similar tothat in FIG. 2. N-type source region 1 is separated from n-type drainregion 2, adjacent the trench 4, by p-type body region 3. However afurther narrow p-type region 31 extends from body 3 adjacent the trenchto a depth 32. The depth 32 generally corresponds to the base of theshield region 9, although region 31 may extend deeper into the device,or not as far as the base of the shield region 9. The narrow, orlaterally shallow, region 31 is doped p- (that is, it is doped lightlyp-type). Thus the p- region separates the gate oxide 6 from the drain 2and also separates the bottom portion of gate oxide 5 from the drain 2.The width of the region, that is, the lateral distance it extends fromthe trench, is small enough so as to ensure that it is fully depleted byan electrical potential on the gate sufficient to form a channel in thebody region 3. This region 31 provides further isolation between gatepolysilicon 8 and drain 2. In consequence the contribution to thegate-drain capacitance which would otherwise arise from the mismatch inlevels between the body/drain junction 21 and the base of the gateelectrode 22 is, to a substantial extent, avoided.

A second embodiment of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 4. FIG.4 depicts a TrenchFET generally similar to that in FIG. 3, however inthis embodiment the p- extension 31 to the body region does not go asdeeply into the device: instead, it extends to a depth 33 which isgenerally level with the top 29 of the shield region 9.

Devices according to the invention are manufactured mainly usingconventional techniques, which will not be described herein, but will bewell known to the person skilled in the art. However, additional processsteps are involved, as will be described hereunder. The device ismanufactured in an entirely conventional way up to and including thestep of defining the trench 4. However prior to the deposition or growthof the thick bottom oxide which will form oxide base 7 and side-walllinings 6, the p- region 31 is introduced. The method of achieving thisp- region is not limited, but in illustrative embodiments, it may bedefined using a low energy angled boron implant; an alternativeillustrative method of defining the region is by gaseous vapour phasedeposition. After introduction of the p- region, the thick bottom oxideis deposited or grown conventionally, and the remainder of the devicefabrication is entirely conventional. Thus polysilicon shield region 9is deposited and etched back; thereafter gate oxide 5 is deposited anddefined. Gate polysilicon 8 is then grown or deposited. The p-type body3 and n-type source 1 are then defined, and the remainder of the deviceprocessed conventionally.

Devices according to the second embodiment of the invention as depictedin FIG. 4 are fabricated in a similar way. However, in this case the p-region is diffused after the thick bottom oxide (TBO) and the shieldregion polysilicon are deposited and etched back. As a result the bottom33 of the p- region 31 is automatically aligned with the top 29 of theshield region 9. The remainder of the process is carried out in anentirely conventional manner as described above.

The p- region 31 is connected to source potential via the body region 3.Correct choice and control of the doping in the p- region is important,in order to avoid any significant reduction in the performance of thedevice in the on-state. The p- region must be fully depleted by the gatepotential in order for current to flow between source and drain in thison-state.

The simulated performances of the first and second embodiments of theinvention in comparison with a standard split poly RESURF stepped oxidestructure will now be discussed. FIGS. 5 and 6 depict the specificon-resistance of the devices at gate-source voltage (Vgs) of 4.5V and10V respectively. Each graph shows the variation of the specific onresistance with control of the depth of the gate/body junction 21, forof a conventional device (at 50), an example device according to thefirst embodiment (at 51), and an example device according to the secondembodiment (at 52). As shown, there is a small increase in the specificon-resistance due to the presence of the p- region.

FIG. 7 shows a comparison of breakdown voltage of devices according toembodiments of the invention relative to a standard device. Thedrain-source voltage (Vds) at a drain-source current of 100 nAmps isplotted against the control of gate/body depth. As shown in the graph, acloser control of the gate/body junction depth is required for standarddevices than for devices according to these embodiments. Bothembodiments show that the breakdown of voltage reduces linearly with thedistance between the body drain junction 21 and gate depth 22. Theinclusion of the p- region prevents any loss of RESURF from occurring.Furthermore, the channel depletion at high Vds is less for theembodiments compared with the standard RESURF structure. This wouldpermit the use of shorter channel lengths, which may thus compensate forthe slightly higher specific Rdson. FIG. 8 shows the distribution of theelectrical field in a device according to the first embodiment, at 8 b,in comparison with a conventional device, at 8 a, at voltages close tobreakdown voltage. FIG. 9 shows the same field distribution for devicesaccording to the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows the effects of the invention on gate bounce. As thoseskilled in the art will be aware, gate bounce (sometimes referred to asd(Vds)/dt induced turn on) is a parasitic phenomenon that occurs when afast Vds transient is applied to a MOSFET such as a Trench-FET in theoff state. If the drain voltage of the MOSFET rises quickly then, thevoltage across the gate-drain capacitance, Cgd, will also increaserapidly, giving rise to a current in this capacitance. If this currentflows into the gate-source capacitance (Cgs) then the gate voltage willrise and if it rises fast enough it will turn on the MOSFET. Note thatsince the MOSFET is turned off the gate terminal is usually shorted toground via some gate and MOSFET driver resistance and inductance—thisimperfect shorting of the gate means that some of the Cgd capacitivecurrent will always flow into Cgs and the charge then removed by theshort. In this way a fast Vds causes a spike on the gate terminal.

Good immunity to gate bounce requires a low Cgd so that the capacitivecurrent is low (since Icgd=Cgd*d(Vds)/dt), and a high Cgs so that itrequires a lot of charge to flow into the gate before the voltage on Cgscan rise (Vgs=(integral of Icgd)/Cgs). The ratio of Cgd/Cgs is aconvenient measure with low values being good. Since these capacitancesare non linear, though, a test called “Vdso” (which is shown in FIG. 10)is useful: leave the gate open and measure the Vds at which the MOSFETstarts to turn on. (This has the additional advantage of taking intoaccount the Vt of the device, which is also an important parameter forthis effect). The higher the voltage the better: at some point thedevice will reach the breakdown voltage BVdss and BVdso can no longer beimproved.

FIG. 10 shows that for the first embodiment the inclusion of the p-region has desensitised the gate from any gate bounce effects; the lineis flat since the model only ramps up to 30V. In the case of the secondembodiment there is a substantial improvement in BVdso over the entireprocess window. Thus the inclusion of the p- region provides a widerprocess window and more design freedom. The cause of the improvedperformance is the conversion of Cgd to Cgs.

FIG. 11 shows the variation of total gate charge (Qg[tot]) with controlof the gate body junction depth, for the two embodiments and a standarddevice at a gate source voltage of 4.5V and with an active areaequivalent to 2 mOHM. There is a slightly increased value of Qg[tot],due to the extra gate source capacitance created by the inclusion of thep- region along the gate.

From the simulated results described above it is clear that theembodiments do not produce a significantly negative impact on deviceperformance, and for some parameters, they even improve deviceperformance over a standard conventional device. However, processcontrol of the critical alignment of the body-drain junction 21 to thebase 22 of the gate electrode 8 has been significantly relaxed. Thebenefits of the wider process window may translate into higherproduction yields or more closely defined device specification.

From reading the present disclosure, other variations and modificationswill be apparent to the skilled person. Such variations andmodifications may involve equivalent and other features which arealready known in the art of Trench-FETs, and which may be used insteadof, or in addition to, features already described herein.

Although the appended claims are directed to particular combinations offeatures, it should be understood that the scope of the disclosure ofthe present invention also includes any novel feature or any novelcombination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or implicitlyor any generalisation thereof, whether or not it relates to the sameinvention as presently claimed in any claim and whether or not itmitigates any or all of the same technical problems as does the presentinvention.

Features which are described in the context of separate embodiments mayalso be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely,various features which are, for brevity, described in the context of asingle embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitablesub combination.

The applicant hereby gives notice that new claims may be formulated tosuch features and/or combinations of such features during theprosecution of the present application or of any further applicationderived therefrom.

For the sake of completeness it is also stated that the term“comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, the term “a” or“an” does not exclude a plurality, and reference signs in the claimsshall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

1. A Trench field effect transistor (TrenchFET) comprising asemiconductor body defining a first major surface, a first and a secondregion of a first conductivity type, a channel-accommodating thirdregion therebetween of a second conductivity type opposite the firstconductivity type, a trench extending from the first major surface intothe semiconductor body, adjacent the first and channel-accommodatingthird regions and extending into the second region, a gate formed ofelectrically conducting material within the trench and spaced apart fromthe sidewalls and bottom of the trench, a shield region formed ofelectrically conducting material within the trench and between the gateand bottom of the trench and spaced apart therefrom, wherein theTrenchFET further comprises a fourth region of the second conductivitytype extending adjacent the sidewalls of the trench from thechannel-accommodating third region towards the bottom of the trench,wherein the fourth region extends to a depth that is aligned to a top ofthe shield region, and wherein the fourth region is defined after theshield region is formed.
 2. A TrenchFET according to claim 1, whereinthe fourth region has a doping level which is lower than the dopinglevel of the channel-accommodating third region.
 3. A TrenchFETaccording to claim 1 wherein the fourth region has a width which issufficiently small such that, in operation when the electrical potentialof the gate creates a channel in the channel-accommodating third region,the fourth region is fully depleted.
 4. A TrenchFET according to claim 1wherein the fourth region has a width between 25 nm and 50 nm.
 5. ATrenchFET according to claim 1 wherein the fourth region extends furtherfrom the first major surface than does the gate.
 6. A TrenchFETaccording to claim 1 wherein the fourth region extends further from thefirst major surface than the shield region.
 7. A TrenchFET according toclaim 1 wherein the first conductivity type is n-type and the secondconductivity type is p-type.
 8. A method of manufacturing a TrenchFETcomprising: defining in a semiconductor body having a first majorsurface a first and a second region of a first conductivity type and achannel-accommodating third region of a second conductivity typeopposite the first conductivity type therebetween, defining a trenchextending from the first major surface into the semiconductor body,adjacent the first and channel-accommodating third regions and extendinginto the second region, forming a gate of electrically conductingmaterial within the trench and spaced apart from the sidewalls andbottom of the trench, forming a shield region of electrically conductingmaterial within the trench and between the gate and bottom of the trenchand spaced apart therefrom, wherein the method further comprises,defining a fourth region of the second conductivity type adjacent thesidewalls of the trench and extending from the channel-accommodatingthird region towards the bottom of the trench, wherein defining thefourth region includes self-aligning the fourth region to the top of theshield, and wherein the fourth region is defined after the step offorming the shield region.
 9. A method as claimed in claim 8, whereinthe fourth region is defined by an angled implant.
 10. A method asclaimed in claim 8, wherein the fourth region is defined by gaseousvapour phase deposition.
 11. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein thefourth region is defined after the step of defining the trench andbefore a step of defining a thick oxide layer in the bottom of thetrench.